Train to Devanahalli may soon roll on

To improve rail connectivity in Bangalore, especially to the Bengaluru International Airport (BIA), Devanahalli has now been put on the railway development map.

This time in the Union railway budget 2010-11, Devanahalli and Yelahanka stations have been listed among 94 stations to be made Adarsh stations. The other stations selected in Karnataka are Bagalkot, Chikkaballapur, Doddaballapur, Gauribidanur, and Gokak Road.

While last time Bangalore City and Byappanahalli railway stations were put on the list to be made world class stations, this time, none of Bangalore’s stations have been listed. What is surprising is that work is yet to commence in these two stations, say experts.
Former zonal railway member, user consultative committee, South Western Railway, Prakash Mandoth, says that railways must put
development of stations to world class stations on the fast track.

The state government must help in land acquisition around Binny mills for city development. Byappanahalli has also been proposed to be developed as the third terminal. Developing it into a world class station is important since the Metro terminal is coming there, he adds.

Development of Devanahalli into an Adarsh station will help in better connectivity to the airport. People, instead of depending on the road, will use more train services. 

At present, no major trains stop at Devanahalli. A local train from Bangalore to Chikkaballapur stops during morning and evening. But all major express trains passing via Yelahanka stop at the station.

Declaring Devanahalli as an Adarsh station means upgradation of the station to attract more passengers to the station to make use of its facilities, says Sajan Poovaiah, president of the Karnataka state council of the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Once a station is made an Adarsh station, train services to the station will be improved. Adarsh stations will have basic facilities such as drinking water, adequate toilets, catering services, waiting rooms and dormitories especially for lady passengers, and better signage, says Akhil Agarwal, Bangalore divisional railway manager of South Western Railways. According to him, the work on making Bangalore City railway station and Byappanahalli world class station is under way.